Barcelona

For decades, Barcelona has been a canvas for street artists, local and foreign, emerging and recognized, who have left their mark on its streets. Since the 1992 Olympics, the Catalonia capital has transformed into one of the most rejuvenated cities in Europe. Between 1999-2005, Barcelona was overflowing with international graffiti artists and highlighted the Spanish artists trying to become noticed.

Walking through the city it would be no exaggeration to say virtually EVERY shop front in Barcelona has its metal window shutter covered in some form of art. Barcelona’s ‘fun, happy and childlike’ graffiti style has illuminated the city and filled it with colour, bold statements and identity. Nowadays, sadly urban artists have very limited options to display their work without getting in trouble and facing a whopping €3000 fine! Artist have been driven underground with many adopting the craft of stencil and paste-ups, a form of street art in which they create their work safely undercover and then glue it to walls, kind of like a poster, because it’s quicker to apply to walls, lowering the chances of getting caught.Works can be seen from international artists like Icy & Sot, Dolk, Space Invader, C215 and Clet Abraham and local artists Akore, Kram, Rice and BTOY.